Air conditioning apparatus



Sept. 26, 1939. w M NlEHART 2,174,060

' AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed OCT'. 4, 1937 Patented Sept. 26, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.A

This invention relates to apparatus for effecting a conditioning of air delivered to or circulated through an apartment.

One of the features of the present invention is the provision ofv a structure and method by which air is moved into or through an apartment, with a continuous withdrawal from the air current, before it enters the compartment, and the employment of the withdrawn air for effecting a l0 cooling of the air current.

' Another feature of the invention is the provision of a structure comprising essentiallya selfcontained unit including air-moving means, heat exchange surfaces, and spraying devices.

A further feature of the invention -is the provision of a structure comprising substantially parallel and vertical heat exchange walls within a casing, together with means for establishing inlet and outlet headers at the top and bottom 2.1 of the casing, these headers being individually connected with alternate passages between the heat exchange surfaces, together with means for effecting a conditioning and movement of the air in the structure.

2.-, With these and other features as objects in view, an illustrative manner of practicing the invention is set out below and in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an upright sectional view through :lo a preferred form of the apparatus.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. A

Figure 3 is a conventionalized perspective view of the upper ends of the air flow passages, with :13 the casing walls broken away, to show the alternate closing of parts of these passages.

In the drawing, a casing C is formed, being comprised of the vertical walls I0, II, I2, I3, the bottom Wall III, and the top wall I5. These walls .1:1 define a structure which is closed save for the supply duct I6 by which air is moved to the apartment, a discharge duct I'I by which air is wasted to atmosphere-that is, discharged at a point outside of the apartment, and an inlet 45 orice I8 through -which air is supplied to this vertical portion of the casing. It is preferred to combine this vertical casing with an associated housing for receiving auxiliary structures. For this purpose, the bottom wall I4 is extended :.z and is sealed to side walls Ill,y a vertical end wall 2D and a top wall 2l.

Within the vertical casing C are provided a plurality of substantially parallel and vertical partitions 25 which are of heat exchange nature;

55 that is, they are preferably formed of metal and adapted to establish a balance of temperature at their surfaces. These walls terminate short of the ends Il, I5 of the casing, and preferably have theirupper and lower edges cut at an apex or angle.

At the upper end of the casing I5, the passages are each provided with a closing wall 26 which extends from a side wall I I, I3 to the apex of the shape of the parallel walls. The closing walls 26 are alternately disposed so that every other lo wall extends from the side wall II, while the interposed walls 26 extend from the side wall I3. At the apex, a baille 21 extends upwardly to a point near the top Wall I5 and provides a proportioning flow-restricting member as will be set 15 out hereinafter. This arrangement'of the closing walls 26 divides the passages between the partitions 25 into two groups which are alternately arranged, the rst one of these groups being in communication with the top header space 28 which is at the left of the baille 21 in Fig. 1, and the second group being in communication with a top header space 2,9 which is at the right of the baie 21 in this iigure.'

At the bottom of the casing, similar end closing 25 walls 26a are provided, and are similarly disposed and arranged so that the first group of passages is in communication with a bottom header space 30, while the second group of passages is in communication with a bottom header space 3|. 30

'I'he inclined positioning of the edges of the individual heat exchange sheets 25 alfords a larger inlet and outlet area Vfor the respective passages.

The upper header space 28 is the outlet header $5 for the rst group of passages, and is in free communication with the duct I6 by which air is supplied to the apartment. The upper header space V29 is the inlet header for the second group of passages. The lower header space 30 is the 40 inlet header for the iirst group of passages and is in communication by the orifice I8 with a ian, as will be described hereinafter. The lower header space 3| is the outlet header for the second group of passages and is in free communica- 45 tion with the discharge duct Il.

The bottom of the casing forms a sump in which water collects by drippage from the walls of a second group of passages and from a moisture eliminator 36 which is positioned between 50 Athe header space 3l and the discharge duct II.

Further, a constant water Alevel is preferably maintained in the sump 35 from a water supply pipe 31 under control of a oat-valve 38.

Within the auxiliary housing provided a fan 40 which is driven by a belt 4| from a variable speed fan motor 42. This fan is connected to aspire air from the interior of the housing and deliver it by a short connection 43 to the orifice I8, and thus to the rst inlet header 30.

Walls of the housing are apertured and provided with filters 45 through which air is drawn into the housing. 'I'his air may be taken wholly from the outside of the apartment, or in part from the apartment and in part from a fresh air supply duct 46; suitable dampers (not shown) being employed for regulating the proportioning. In the event that all the air is being taken from the apartment, and a part is being discharged through the discard duct I1, the pressure within the apartment is maintained by the normal leakages through crevices and other openings.

Within the auxiliary housing, further, is provided a pump 50 which is driven by a motor 5| and draws water from the sump through a pipe 52, and delivers the same by a conduit 53 and a swivel connection 53a to a spray, pipe 54 which extends in the header 29 above the openings into the second group of passages The pipe has a plurality of orifices through which the water may be discharged under the pressure produced by the pump 50. This pipe is preferably mounted for rocking about its axis, and has an extension 55 projecting outside of the casing C and being provided with a lever 56 by which the pipe may be rocked for determining the angular direction in which the water is being projected into the air. By changing the angularity, a portion of the water from the sprays can be thrown into the header 28 for humidifying the conditioned air stream moving into the apartment; and may thus be effective for further depressing the dry bulb temperature thereof, if desired; In Fig. l, the cords 51 hang from the ends of the lever 56 and permit easy adjustment of the angular positioning of the jets.

In installation, this unit may be located in the apartment or adjacent thereto, and provided with suitable connections from the apartment to the filter openings 45 and to the air supply duct I6: a discharge duct extension is connected to the connection I1 if desired. The water pipe 31 is connected to a suitable supply of water.

In operation, the fan 40 is set in rotation by energizing its motor 42, and the water pump 50 is similarly brought into operation. Air is drawn from the apartment'and/or the duct 46, and

deliveredthrough the orifice I8 into the first inlet header 30, where it is divided and caused to flow upwardly along the path of flow afforded by the first group of passages between alternate heat exchange walls, thus passing into the rst outlet header 28 at the top of the casing. A major portion of the air then flows through the duct I6 to the apartment, while a minor proportion (depending upon the construction and adjustment of the proportioning member 21) passes over the top of this member and into the second inlet header 29 at the top of the casing, and thence downwardly through the second group of passages which are separated from the first group by the heat exchange partition walls. Water-is discharged into this portion of the air, and by adjustment of the direction of the jets, a slight retardation may be imposed upon this portion of the air, or it may be accelerated; and therewith the rate of flow of the air as well as its effective water content may be modified. Part of the water is of course projected onto walls of the header 29, including the proportioning member 21 and the closing walls 26, and part forms a 111m on the surfaces of the heat exchange members 25 themselves. The water not evaporated, however, trickles downward and collects in the sump. The air charged with particles of water passes to the eliminator, and unevaporated water is separated back to the sump 35. Ultimately this air is discarded.

The action of the. water upon the air, however, is to effect an evaporation into this air with a simultaneous reduction of the temperature thereof. Hence, the air and water which is iiowing downward in the second group of passages is at a lower temperature than the air which is iiowing upwardly in the rst set of passages, and a heat exchange occurs so that the air in the rst outlet header 28 is at a lower temperature than the air in the rst inlet header 30.

The warm air in the first group of passages tends to warm the heat exchange walls and thereby itself becomes cool.

Thus, it will be seen that the apparatus provides a means and operates by a method which comprises reducing the temperature of the incoming air toward its dewpoint by employing heat transfer through a partition which is dry on one side and wet on the other. 'I'he total initial volume of the incoming air is iirst passed over the dry surface, and then is divided into a stream which ows to the apartment, an a second stream which is then passed into contact with the wet side of the partition: so that the air contacting the wet side of the'partition has already been reduced in temperature by its movement from the dry side. When the air flrst comes in contact with the wet surface, this surface is at or near the new wet bulb temperature, and by the action of heat transmitted through the partition from the dry side, and taken up by the water and air current, the wet bulb temperature of the air iiowing over the wet surface will increase until it has absorbed the heat being transmitted through the partition. In this way, the greater part of the heat taken from the air moving over the dry surface is absorbed through the process of increasing the wet bulb temperature of the air on the wet side of the partition, and very little heat goes into the water to increasethe sensible heat thereof; as it is preferred to provide only sufcient water for keeping the wet surfaces properly moistened on the exhaust air side of the partition.

As an example of practice, if the dry bulb temperature of entering air is and the corresponding wet bulb temperature is 67, with a dewpoint of 60.2, the relative humidity of this entering air is 52%. In operating the structure, the air discharged by the duct I6 into the apartment had a dry bulb temperature of 66, a Wet bulb temperature of 62.5, a dewpoint of 60.2, and a relative humidity of 81%. 'Ihe discarded air had a dry bulb temperature of 'M1/2, a wet bulb temperature of '74,a dewpoint of TS1/2%, and a relative humidity of 98%.

In anotheractual test outside air having a dry bulb/temperature of 92, wet bulb temperature of 72, dewpoint of 59 and a relative humidity of 33%, was reduced at constant dewpoint to a dry bulb temperature of 66, wet bulb temperature of 61.5, the dewpoint remaining at 59 and the relative humidity changing to '78%. This air, raised Vl2" by the apartment had a dry bulb temperature of 78, wet bulb temperature of 65.5, the same dewpoint of 59, and a relative humidity of 52%, an ideal condition for comfort.

. temperature.

It has been found that crimped aluminum sheets may be introduced between the partitions 25 to increase the contact between the air and .the water in the second group of passages, which leads to a greater efficiency in the unit.

It is obvious that the invention is notlimited to the manner of practice as shown and described, but that it may be varied in many ways within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An air conditioning apparatus comprising means providing a casing, a plurality of substantially parallel heat-exchange partitions terminating short of the ends of the casing and providing separated passages in said casing, end closures at each end of each passage for closing substantially half the area of'each passage, said closures for alternate passages extending from opposite sides of thecasing, a proportioning baille at one end of the casing dividing the end space thereof into a first outlet header space in communication with one group of the alternate passages and a second inlet header space in communication with the other group of alternate passages, a wall at the other end of the casing for dividing the end space thereof into a first inlet header space in communication with the said one group of passages and a second outlet header space in communication with the said other group of alternate passages, means for supplying air to said first inlet header space and withdrawing it from the outlet header spaces. and means for spraying water into said second inlet header space, said water spraying means including spray devices opposite the openings of said other group of passages, and means for shifting said spray devices for changing the angle at which the water is discharged therefrom to confine the water discharge to association with one group of passages only or for apportioning it between said passage groups.

2. An air conditioning apparatus comprising means providing a casing, a plurality of substantially parallel heat-exchange partitions terminating short of the ends of the casing and-providing separated passages in said casing, end closures at each end of each passage for closing substantially half the area of each passage, said closures for alternate passages extending from opposite sides of the casing, a proportioning baille at one end of the casing dividing the end space thereof into a first outlet header space in communication with one group of the alternate passages and a second inlet header space in communication with the other group of alternate passages, a wall at the other end of the casing for dividing the end space thereof into a first inlet header space in communication with the said one group of passages and a second outlet header space in communication with the said other group of alternate passages, means for supplying air to said first inlet header space and withdrawing it from the outlet header spaces, and means for spraying water into said second inlet header space, said water spraying means including spray devices and means for shifting said spray devices :forV changing the angle at which water is discharged therefrom and capable of effecting a projection of water nto the first outlet header space to cause a humidification of air moving therethrough.

3. An air conditioning apparatus comprising an elongated casing, a plurality of heat-exchange partitions providing separate passages extending longitudinally in `said casing, first and second air inlet connections at opposite ends of the casing,

first and second air outlet connections at opposite ends of the casing and each disposed adjacent one inlet connection, said first inlet and outlet connections being adapted to take air from and deliver it to an apartment and being in comsecond outlet connection, and means for contacting water with the air during its movement in said second path of flow, the air diverting means including a proportioning member disposed be# tween the firstoutlet connection and the second inlet connection for determining the quantityof air which moves from said first inlet connection directly into said second inlet connection.

v4. An air conditioning apparatus comprising a casing, a plurality of substantially parallel heatexchange partitions terminating short of the ends of the casing and providing separated passages in said casing, end closures at each end of said passages for closing substantially half the area of each passage, said closures for alternate passages extending from opposite sides of the casing, a proportioning baflie carried by the partitions at one end of the casing at adjacent ends of the open portions-of the passages dividing the end space of the casing into a first outlet header space in communication with one group of the alternate passages and a second inlet header space in communication with the other group of alternate passages, a wall at the other end of the casing for dividing the end space thereof into a first inlet header space in communication with the said one group of passages and a second outlet header space in communication with the said other group of alternate passages, means for supplying air to said first inlet header space and withdrawing it from the outlet header spaces and- 

